Greensville inmates face summer heat due to faulty air conditioning
VENN
GREENSVILLE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- As summer hits Central Virginia, some inmates at Greensville Correctional Facility are on day 10 of living in a building with faulty air conditioning.
Air conditioning within one of the correctional facility's buildings has not been functioning properly since June 7, according to a June 17 email from the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC).
By noon on June 12, the system was restored to 50% output, but additional parts are needed to complete repairs. The agency said those parts have been ordered.
Some inmates who were housed within the impacted building have been temporarily relocated to another. However, some inmates have not been moved.
"All inmates who are still within the affected building have been provided with extra ice," the VADOC said. "Large fans have been added to mitigate temperatures."
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The VADOC added that "these practices follow American Correctional Association standards for heat mitigation."
8News initially contacted the VADOC about these air conditioning issues on Tuesday, June 12. Shortly after replying to 8News' inquiry on June 17, the VADOC sent out a press release describing how it was "prepared for the summer months."
Within that release, the VADOC said it will "implement significant steps to ensure that facilities without air conditioning are provided ample heat mitigation resources," including:
- Installing fans
- Installing misting fans in some facilities
- Installing smoke exhaust fans in some facilities to increase airflow
- Giving inmates extra ice and water pouches
- Adjusting the scheduling and locations for some activities
"Corrections team members will conduct temperature checks multiple times per day to ensure all VADOC facilities stay within safe ranges and that all heat mitigation equipment is functioning properly," the agency said.
Per VADOC, all of its facilities that were built after 1990 have air conditioning built into their design. Older facilities use temporary portable units. The VADOC is "working to install long-term and permanent solutions" within said facilities.
The VADOC did not provide an estimated date for the full restoration of the Greensville Correctional Center building's air conditioning.
